COVENTRY Blaze will go into the new season with a new main sponsor - international clothing retailer High and Mighty.

As part of the deal the team will now be known as High and Mighty Coventry Blaze and will have their logo on the front of their playing shirts when they are unveiled for the first time next month.

Blaze chairman Andy Buxton said: "It really is terrific for the Blaze that High and Mighty have come on board with us this season and we are confident that it's going to be a great relationship."

Gary Coleman, marketing director for High and Mighty International said: "This is very much a new venture for us and one that we think will be tremendous for High and Mighty. The Blaze are a very professional and high profile sporting organisation and we feel that they are a terrific club to be associated with.

"We were very impressed with everything they had to say during our discussions and we are looking forward to a successful partnership."

Founded in 1956 and with 26 stores throughout the UK, High and Mighty have now expanded into mainland Europe and they already have 11 major outlets throughout Germany, Holland, Belgium and France.

*BLAZE now have one of the most successful junior development squads in the country - just four months after appealing for youngsters to come forward.

Around 150 youngsters aged between five and 19 have registered and 100 attend Wednesday sessions at the Skydome Arena each week.

Blaze officials now hope to launch junior sides next year despite the fact many of the recruits had never skated before enrolling.

Club coach Paul Thompson said the popularity of the scheme had taken the Blaze by surprise.

"It is absolutely incredible. We have been told that we are now the second biggest development squad in the country, which is amazing when you consider that we started in the close season and have not had a Blaze game at which to promote the idea.

"Many of the youngsters couldn't skate when they came to us, but quite a high proportion had played roller hockey and therefore knew some of the basics. It was a question of converting that on to the ice.

"The whole idea is to develop youngsters from this area who could one day play for the Blaze. The overwhelming majority of them come from Coventry and I think that bodes very well for the future of the club and the sport in the city. It is not cheap to bring in these Canadian players and we would love to have some home grown talent in the team"

Senior players coach the rookies and that experience has helped them as well, as many are now studying to gain training qualifications.

John Neville, manager of the Skydome Arena, said many of those who attended the Wednesday night sessions were using the ice at other times to brush up on their skating skills.